so, what are you waiting for? go call now! we'll finish up here. your doctor will say get smart about your weight. that's why there's glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly to help minimize blood sugar spikes. [ male announcer ] glucerna hunger smart. a smart way to help manage hunger and diabetes. >>. >> megyn: i'm looking at the twitter feed and there are people backing the professor and thinks theory about newtown.

what do you think about it? i'm megyn kelly. and shepard smith. >> shep: the news begins anew on studio "b." president blasted congressional republicans over the debt ceiling and expressed support for new gun control measures. reaction from both sides coming just ahead. plus, lance armstrong with a change of heart, he says or something. now, we're told he has apologized, reports of tears and admission of some kind to oprah winfrey. we're got all the details. new study says more americans are working well past retirement. it says, i wonder why, but that is all ahead unless breaking news changes everything. >> first at 3:00 in new york city. president obama is warning that

a political deadlock over the nation's debt ceiling could damage the u.s. economy and beyond. it's estimated without the deal the government could run out of money to pail its bills as early as mid-february. the president said the idea of refusing to raise the debt ceiling is irresponsible and absurd. >> republicans in congress have two choices here. they can act responsibly and pay america's bills are act irresponsibly and put america through another economic crisis. but they will not collect a ransom for not crashing the american economy. >> shep: they say they won't support raising the debt limit and there a battle line. the debt ceiling is the maximum amount of money that the united states can borrow. the law requires congress to control and authorize any money needed to pay for federal

programs. debt ceiling was introduced way back in world war one. it was meant to give the treasury department more spending at that time. wendall goler, the president seemed that he was willing to call the republicans' bluff on this thing. >> he won't collect ransom for not collecting it on the economy. the last time the country reached the debt ceiling, obama was thinking about what will be prioritized next time. >> if congressional republicans refuse to pay america's bills on times, social security checks and veterans benefits will be delayed. we might not be able to pay our troops or honor our contracts with small business owners. food inspectors, air traffic controllers, specialists who track down loose nuclear material wouldn't get paychecks.

investors will ask if united states is america is a in fact a safe bet. >> reporter: they launched a new term by focusing on the issue likely to dominate the second term. >> shep: what are we hearing from republicans on this? >> republicans are looking at a fiscal perfect storm in march, avoid the fiscal cliff and renew funding for most government programs. john hoern boehner said the consequences of failing to increase the debt ceiling are real but so, too, the consequences of allowing our spending programs to go unresolved. congressman mike lee the latter problem could eclipse the first. >> we're going to face another credit rating downgrade without changing the washington spends mo money and the more importantly the way they borrow money. >> republicans feel now when

they have the leverage to force the spending cuts in the fiscal cliff talks that they couldn't force last year. >> shep: the president also revealed, the vice president biden has turned in recommendations on how to reduce gun violence in our country. that was after the vice president met with groups including the national rifle associating plus folks in the entertainment and video game industries last week. president announced he will present specifics later this weekly. at a news conference, president obama says he is considering what makes sense after the shootings in newtown, connecticut. it's been one month since a gunman burst in and killed 20 first graders before turning the gun on himself. shannon bream is live at the white house in the briefing room. what do we know how the president is going to proceed here. >> we know the president is going to sit down with the vice president to talk over those recommendations the things he culled from his meetings on this

issue of gun rights and gun control. later on this week we're supposed to get more details about what is being recommended. he said today he is not limiting himself when it comes to getting things done. >> i'm confident there are some steps we can take that don't require legislation and that within my authority as president. where you get a step that has the opportunity to reduce the possibility of gun violence, then i wanted to go ahead and take it. >> reporter: today he mentioned ideas about more uniform and more comprehensive background checks and potential bans on high capacity magazines. >> shep: what the sense that the president and congress might be able to accomplish? >> he has room to ask if he feels it is necessary. he knows it's going to be hard sell to congress. here is the estimation of larry

pratt. >> we don't think there is in of likelihood that the congress is going to move gun control laws worse than they are. >> reporter: gun right advocates say they are plenty of laws on the books. they say tighter restrictions would not have stopped most of the mass shootings that we have seen over the last year or two. background checks, most of the shooters would have nothing picked up in background checks, in many cases the guns were stolen that had them illegally. we'll see if there is common ground when they are rolled out more publicly. >> shep: all this is apparently good for business if you are gun dealer. fears over the potential of new gun laws have sparked record firearms and ammunition sales. over the weekend, organizers in san francisco record crowds showed up there. thousands of people waited in

long lines. nobody was able to walk away firearm with show because they have a ten day waiting period. >> reporter: they could take ammunition. there is a debate on exactly what the president can do for executive action versus what requires a congressional vote. one thing is clear, many feel washington is going to take their right away to buy some guns and access to ammunition which is non-existent around many stores around the country that sparked panic buying. a gun buying back event in new mexico, they got in a bidding war before they were turned into cops. overcrowding shut down a store in arizona. here in california, gun owners swamped a bay area gun show looking for weapons and ammunition. >> they got to get in and get

what you can. >> i think obama is re-elected he is going for the gun. the buying frenzy driving prices through the roof. >> reporter: we expect the vice president a ban on assault weapons and background checks but critics argue that less than 1% of crimes come from guns from gun showing and 2% of crimes are committed with assault weapons. >> shep: militants tied to al-qaeda have taken control of a huge chunk of it. now word that the united states government is getting involved in this fight. new details on that are next. plus, george h.w. bush is headed home after so many weeks in the hospital, nearly two months in fact. that is all coming right up. living with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis

means living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage.

humira, adalimum, can help treat more than just the pain. for many adults, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened. blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection ask your rheumatologist about humira, to help relieve your pain and stop further joint damag >>. >> shep: 11.

is joining another fight against terrorists in africa. according to associated press, american government is offering drones to help the growing fight against al-qaeda affiliate insurgents. state department has not confirmed to this but here is the back story. on friday the french military unleashed a deadly ground and air assault against islamic militants in the nation of mali. the rebels control northern part of the country and many have them have ties to al-qaeda including the strongest and best funded faction of the terror group. fox news has confirmed the pentagon is considering cargo aircraft, providing fuel tankers for french patrols and offering intelligence. that is where our drones enter the picture. central bank of west african states, mali is one of the poorest in the world. average worker's salary is

equivalent of $1500. jonathan hunt is here. this is growing very concerning. why is there so much concern from france and the united states? this has come on quickly. >> reporter: it has come on quickly. a lot of us would not be that familiar with the northwest african nation. here is it in the nutshell. there is a major concern now among western powers that mali over the next few years might become exactly what afghanistan was in the 1990s. a nation controlled and run by hard line islamics. a nation that provides safe haven to al-qaeda and nation that al-qaeda executes attacks against western targets. >> i think we're all well aware of the requirement to be vigilant about our own security including in the homeland but

that is why it is so important to get the operation done and get it done right. had he have been able to develop another safe haven across that region that needs to be looked at. >> reporter: the french are leading the fight here because they have long time ties to that area of northern africa. that is why they led in libya, that is what we're seeing here, but the u.s. may provide support and britain and canada are doing so. >> shep: it looks like they have gained ground here? >> the french have launched a major air campaign, fighter jets and helicopters yet the rebels now are something like 200 miles closer to the capitol of that country than they were before the french campaign started. so there is growing concern that these islamics really are in a position to take over on a country where the government is reek and mali military is

essentially non-existent. there is sudden concern and sudden action on the part of many western nations as the u.n. security council meeting taking place right now. >> shep: that ought to fix it. >> good luck. >> shep: mike barrett, mike, good afternoon, here we widow again. is this a big mess as they portraying it? >> this is pretty significant. one of the untold things, people don't want to say because it makes our libyan operations look pa bad but highly trained islamics that are heavily armed. they shot down one of the french helicopters over the weekend. they have shoulder fired rockets. the weapons we're talking about is cascading across the militants in that part of the world. this is probably the first of several places where we're going to see this pop up. >> shep: these coming out of

syria? >> they were coming out of libya originally but same groups in iraq and across syria. so the same sub stated groups are migrating from conflict to conflict. now they are slowing down these are more battle hardened and moving left to right where they see the fight of the month. >> shep: so the thinking is, or the fear is they would go instead of training camps but use the area as a base to attack western interests? >> two fears, one is exactly that, a safe haven in the northern parts of the country and sets the vanguard of a islamic takeover of this whole region. they call it the all of them of instability and we're making sure -- the arc of instability.

>> and the lead here is the french. >> i know it offends american sensibilities but they are most at risk, being a former power they can come into france much more easily. homeland security threat in france and spread throughout europe is primarily a french one. >> shep: you shoot down a number of french aircraft and the people of france, history says it's not to sit well with them. >> no, and they don't have as much restraint as we have. some of these conflicts have been very bloody. >> shep: thanks. >> we told you about a lot of studies recently that link soda to obesity crisis. bosses of coca-cola are responding w a new advertisement. central theme is don't blame us.

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>>. >> shep: world's leading beverage maker addressing a growing number of claims that drinking soda makes you fat. in a new ad, coca-cola ad shows cutting calories from the products. full disclosure, that will air tonight this advertisement. it points out soda isn't the only problem and not the only product to blame for people's weighted problems. >> we'll continue to work with scientists on innovative things like zero calories but beating obesity will need to be taken by all of us, all calories counted

no matter where they come from including coca-cola and if you eat more calories than you burn off you will gain weight. >> shep: they say we are committed to bring people together to help fight obesity. this is about the health and happiness who buys or products. recent studies linked sugar drinks to obesity as well as depression. new york city banned the sell of sugar drinks in any cups larger than 16 ounces and other cities are considering similar measures. let's take it to the doctor. dr. mcdavid is from university of hospital case medical center in cleveland. good to see you again. i love the last line on that ad, if you take in more calories than you burn off you will gain weight, duh? >> that is how it works. >> shep: i wonder how what think

about the sugar drink attack? >> i'm a pediatrician so i see what happens to children's teeth as well as obesity. sugary drinks not only give them extra calories but also rots their teeth. >> shep: they need to get more organized against sugary drinks. i want to know what you think of this? >> i tell kids they need to drink water. there is nothing special about bottled water. it either came from municipal water supply somewhere. if it is from a spring, well spring water i wonder what they are doing upstream but spring water doesn't have fluoride. so you wanted them to eat plain old tap water. your body needs water.

if i cut your eye open in the center is water. there is no cola or soda drink in your eye. you need water. >> shep: there might be in mine. there are a couple of diet cokes a day and you look at little kids, you realize what it does to their sugar levels just beginning with that, it's not good. >> the diet coax aren't going to up your sugar level but it's going to be the ones that sugar in them. why do you drink them. >> shep: they work well during studio "b", it's nice drug for work. >> water is cold and wet. a cup of coffee will keep you awake. why do you need that? >> shep: nobody needs it. it's habit more than anything else. there is a machine right out there. they give them to us. we give away coffee and soda to

guests. >> it's amazing to me, if you go into fast food place, somebody comes in and they buy the biggestburger on the menu, extra large fries and they ask for a diet coke, why bother? why are you doing that? >> shep: sugary drinks taste weird to me, the equal, i like it. >> how about plain old water. just plain old water. get yourself a sports bottle, one that has a little cap, put ice cubes in it and drink that. >> shep: that is a good idea. this was not the planned thing, but i drink water the other day and megyn got a flu shot. here is to the water. get a coffee cup. >> i hope she got her flu shot two to four weeks ago.

>> shep: it's not too late. go get it. >> today is better than never. >> shep: doctor, always great to see you. best of the rainbow babies. >> and we don't let them drink coke or pepsi or anything else. >> shep: thanks, doc. after years of strong denials and accusing the u.s. of anti-doping agency carrying out a witch hunt for him, lance armstrong has a reported apology to the cancer foundation and sitting down with oprah. growing number of americans is working past retirement. it's not all about the money. it's not all about the money. we'll get to that as we approach the bottom of the hour and top of news from studio "b."

>>. >> shep: i'm shepard smith. it's the bottom of the hour, time for top of nice. reportedly choked up lance armstrong visited the live strong cancer charity he found to apologize for letting his staff down and report put go the association at rick. he made the visit before he was going to sit down with oprah winfrey to apologize and limited confession, that is how they put it.

it comes months after he called the investigation into alleged doping, unconstitutional witch hunt. the interview is set to air on oprah's own network. if he does admit he doped, it will mark a dramatic shift in his tone. in august, lance armstrong called the anti-doping agency investigation a charade and adding, the only physical evidence the hundreds of controls i have passed with flying colors. i made myself available around the clock and around the world and blood and urine i provided. trace gallagher is live out in los angeles. we know what he did, he cheated. now, he is apologized but he hasn't confessed to the live strong people. >> there was no confession.

live strong contacted us and said that lance armstrong apologized the staff for causing them undue stress in recent months and vowed to restore the reputation of the foundation and reputation of live strong have taken a beating. reportedly one of big reasons that lance armstrong is making this semi apology and confession is to try and restore the reputation of live strong. the sit down was supposed to happen at lance armstrong's house, but it's been moved to a downtown hotel. oprah's people were saying they wanted to keep this interview buttoned up until thursday night which means that never happens and we likely will have good dirt for you on the fox report. >> shep: he has to be pretty careful with this. >> he is in a whole bunch of legal trouble. she facing lawsuits that could amount to over $10 million and

those are lawsuits that have already been filed. he rode for the u.s. postal bike team, there is a possibility he could be facing fraud charges from the federal government. then there is always perjury, even though the statute of limits allegations may have run out and legal experts say the apology confession just not a great strategy. >> i don't think that strategy works on a p.r. level or legal level or any level. yeah, there is something to be said admitting you were lying but that invites the question, why were you lying the whole time? why should we believe you now? >> reporter: the good news that lance armstrong worth an estimated $100 million. the feds have not shown any appetite for prosecuting him and the u.s. anti-doping agency, if he comes clean there is a road

to redemption for lance armstrong. >> shep: and he could get back into the game. >> yeah, he could compete again. he has been in try ath lons. he has lifetime ban and that could be limited to eight years, possibly down to three or four years if he comes clean. >> shep: i don't know who would race against him. trace, good to see you. if he is going to apologize all the lives he destroyed. and president of emerald partners and author rethinking reputation how p.r. trumps it in the media world. i don't like to talk about this guy. i guess if you confess, you have to fully confess? >> right. it can't be limited. it can't be semi. if he were my client, if you are going to do it you have to come

clean. here is what i did, here is why i lied for 15 years to everybody. that would be the first thing. the second thing i would say with oprah, start setting programs termination for settlement because he has all these lawsuits with insurance companies and sponsors and media companies who sued him for -- he sued for libel and he won. thirdly, what i would say to do is pledge that i want to try to work with the authorities to find a solution to this stuff. it sounds hokie but in terms of cushioning the legal blow, he says i doped, there ought to be regulations, everybody in the sport evidently does it. i want to work with you. that at least will cushion the liability it seems to me and they won't throw him in jail because he has committed perjury

>> four lawyers next to him. if anybody can get something out of him. i can't imagine getting much. >> reporter:. >> that is why, it can't be a mark mcguire half pregnant confession or john edwards. he the best thing to do would to be do it alone. take any questions and to tell the truth. >> shep: it would have been nice if he just disappeared, wouldn't it? >> he had a choice. the live strong foundation is in shaky affairs. he has donated a lot of money but the corporations that are still supporting him, once the spotlight goes away will forsake them. he is trying to do that. he is trying to redeem his family. wait to do it and only way to do it is to come clean.

>> shep: thank you. doctors have released the former president george h.w. bush from hospital after two months. he had experienced a series of setbacks. including a cough linked to bronchitis a nagging fever. the doctor in charge of caring him said he will continue to undergo physical therapy outside the hospital but will not need special medication. former president is 99 years old. he released a statement through family spokesman, let me add how touched we were by the many get well messages we received from friends and fellow americans. your prayers and well wishes helped more than you know. my only concern that i will not be able to this threatening a each of you for your kind words. new numbers show americans are waiting longer to retire,

working well past the retirement age 65. they found 77% jump in the number of working americans aged 75 and older. experts say one reason, we're living longer and living healthier. money is a factor for some. the jump in older workers could have been even higher is what i'm reading. >> think about it. mandatory retirement ages. some people would like to work longer but they couldn't because of government policies. today there is so many more americans who, 75 years and older that can't find a job. today, people in this age group make up 7.6% of the work force. i never would have guessed that. that is a big number. >> shep: i know the majority of the jobs that older people, what

are we talking about. >> we're talking about walmart greeters. >> it is nice. its good match of talent and age group. there is only 25% are retail workers, another 25% are professionals. >> judges, lawyers, they are doctors, people who more experience means more talent and more to bring to bear. then the rest of the folks are doing things you hear about all the time. small business consultants, some people say you should grow sectors like education, nonprofits. >> shep: very interesting. i hope they are working because they want to and not because they have to. >> a little bit of both. >> shep: air strike killing 15 children as syrian leaders claim they are attacking armed terrorists. plus jeff hall was a well known neo nazi. his own ten-year-old son killed

him, put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. daddy is neo nazi, whether the boy can be held responsible for the death. this is quite a story and it's coming up. what are you doing? nothing. are you stealing our daughter's school supplies and taking them to work? no, i was just looking for my stapler and my... this thing. i save money by using fedex ground

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>>. >> shep: the government in syria has now killed dozen children in the suburbs of damascus. they say the attacks killed 30 people including 15 kids and while they say they have made progress against armed terrorists. we can't confirm either report. united nations have reported that 60,000 people have died in the syrian war. coner powell, there are strikes reportedly intensifying, is that right? >> reporter: it appears the syrian military is intensifying

on rebel positions according to twists. these have been some of the most intense air strikes since the start of war two years ago. syrian governor says they are fighting armed terrorists but among the dead both inside and out syria they say there are women and children. at least 15 just is in the last 27 hours. the goal of these air strikes it appears to create some type of buffer zone around the syrian capitol. they have made a lot of progress moving toward damascus and it looks like they are pushing rebels away from damascus and we have seen a lot of cold winter weather to settle in syria. the syrian government is probably taking advantage of this cold winter weather where it's harder for rebels to operate to pound them back and loosen up their positions in terms of using that advantage in the air to drive rebels out of that area.

>> shep: it doesn't sound like we're closer to a peace deal. >> reporter: the russian for minister they do support the u.n. peace efforts but assad stepping down as a pre-condition they don't agree with that as part of the peace efforts and peace plan. so russia is essentially undermined the entire peace effort. u.n. is saying 60,000 people have already been killed in syria and by the number by the end of year could jump to 100,000. >> shep: thank you. a california judge today found a 12-year-old boy responsible for killing his neo nazi father dismissing claims the child was acting in self-defense. the father was jeff hall. he was asleep when officials his ten-year-old shot him at point blank range. they say the dad was abusive and violent and it was acceptable to

kill people that are a threat. but the judge found the boy knew right from wrong at the time of the shooting. judge, this is a tough one. >> it's always tough when you have facts like this. the father was the stepfather whose political views are unacceptable and preached violence and apparently caused him to practice violence on the boy at home. the standard self-defense case show you that have to be immediate threat for loss of life to justify the use of deadly force. hardly the case when the father is asleep. the fall back defense the child was so abused, so accustomed to violence he thought it was appropriate to strike back. the testimony just didn't support that because it showed not the need to strike back but the planning and plotting. so the third line of defense was he is 12 years old, he doesn't know right from wrong and

planning and plotting showed that he did know right from wrong. that is down side. the interesting side of this, because he is 12 and tried as a juvenile he cannot be punished beyond age 23. >> shep: a 12-year-old boy going to prison for ten years. a psychologist called to testify for defense said that hall had been conditioned to violence because of years of physical, emotional and likely sexual abuse. the final witness to testify for the prosecution, clinical psychologist she interviewed hall and concluded he was not a psychopath and he does understand right from wrong, but his reality is this ten-year-old had been beaten and abused and potentially sexually assaulted for year. he learned in school that it was okay to kill if you are being

threatened. >> there are cases, there are decisions that have been upheld by appellate courts which stand for the proper signatures that the regular consistent systematic beating of a person makes violence so normal to them that they are acting out this violence against the person who has inflicted this pain on them can diminish the amount of punishment which is the next phase. was he so abused and such a victim even what he did was wrong? it's understandable. he won't go to a prison, he'll depositing to a juvenile detention center but not a horrendous place. will he be a better person at age 23 or an adult who thinks he can kill and get away with it? that question can't be answered now and function what will happen in his brain in the next ten years. >> shep: you wonder where the support system and family was.

>> he did not belong in the custody of his stepfather. no child did if the evidence that came out of trial was true. >> shep: i'm told it's not the stepfather. he killed his father because he thought he was planning to divorce his step-mother. >> it was the other way around. >> some of the reporting was off and sounds like the little boy put the gun to himself. >> it's hard to justify that, unless you didn't know right from wrong. the court kept a lot of information from the public. this was a secret trial. trials for juveniles are kept in secret in order to protect their identity. we don't even know the boy's name. >> shep: don't want to. thank you, judge. >> shep: did you see this on megyn kelly program.

they have organized a hunted complete with cash prizes. this is actually a big deal. phil keating here, diamond phil will join us presently.

>>. >> shep: south florida has a snake problem and it is a bad problem. 150,000 burmese pythons are slithering around in the everglades posing a threat to animals and pets. state officials have organized a 2013 python challenge. bag a python you could get an award of more than a thousand bucks. phil keating is live but only

brings the machete to megyn kelly's program. my editorial guide would be to take that away from you. but move on. >> reporter: i had it for protection as we went hunting for the python. they are lot craftyer than the amateur hunters realize. zero pythons were captured over the weekend. reportedly late sunday, three pythons were captured and killed. we went out one avid deer hunter stalking quite cautiously. they are so well camouflaged, you are luckily i to see three inches of a ten foot snake. the record python is 17 feet. >> i would panic seeing that thing by myself. that is pretty sweet. would it be tough dragging out

of there. >> reporter: major problem with this invasive species is that pythons have no predators in florida. they are not natural animals and they can lay 30-70 eggs in one year. you see how they compound. the advice from hunters, either shoot it once in head or chop its head off. >> it's my understanding these pythons are enormous problem there. >> reporter: there only has been one study down in the everglades national park couple years ago. it was basically observations along the roadways. mammals spotted but the number of racoon and down 90% over the last 20 years and lot has been blamed on the python. you can get $1500 if you catch

the biggest one and people are coming as far away from california. thousand hunters storming the swamps looking for pythons. >> shep: so far the pythons shall winning. thank you. ♪ you know my heart burns for you... ♪

i'm up next, but now i'm sging the heartburn blues. hold on, prilosec isn't for fast relief. cue up alka-seltzer. it stops heartburn fast. ♪ oh what a relief it is!